


The Art of Breaking

by alias3275 (saidanon)



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-15 22:04:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13622439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saidanon/pseuds/alias3275
Summary: “You’re too soft, Blondie.”Part of him had hoped that she would have done it, just to prove to her that she wasn’t as good as she believed herself to be. Or perhaps all he really wanted was to push her over the edge, to corrupt her soul the way he had tainted his own so long ago. There was something perversely appealing about the fact that it would be of his doing.“It’s gonna cost you one day.”





	1. Chapter 1

Mercury swiped at the blood dripping down his face, brushing the crimson liquid from his left eye. He had always been too proud to ever back down from a fight, even if it was a fight he knew he couldn’t win. Under normal circumstances, he would have won against the blonde without breaking a sweat; it wasn’t that she was weak, she was simply a bad match against him. But the tables had turned and part of him hated her for reducing him to such a pitiful state and yet part of him was more excited than ever.

Breathing heavily, he crouched into a defensive stance, shifting his weight around the balls of his feet, hands raised. 

She had improved massively since they had last fought in Beacon, no longer only relying on reckless punches and wild swings. He, on the other hand, hadn’t really been pushing himself as hard as he should have, and he was paying for his arrogance.

The whirring sound of the police helicopters were drawing closer, large spotlights flashing about. His body was aching and he tensed as she aimed a kick at his waist. Blocking the kick with his leg, he countered with one of his own. She stepped just out of reach and caught him with her fist. His head whipped to the side with an audible crack as metal connected with bone and he stumbled back, head reeling. He had only barely managed to stay on his feet but he was too disoriented to avoid the blow aimed straight at his chest.

The punch and subsequent bullet blew him away easily and he smashed into a tree, his aura shattering like glass with the impact. Mercury gave a half-cough, half-laugh. He looked up wearily and they locked gaze. Her eyes had remained a cool lavendar throughout their fight, unlike the fiery red when they had last met. He couldn’t make out the simmering emotions within them. Was it anger? Pity? 

He shook his head and struggled to his feet with all his strength, feeling bursts of pain shoot throughout his chest with every breath. Hazel was long gone with Emerald. He had reached his objective. Now, all he had to do was escape. Or die trying.

His vision was blurring, her silhouette sliding in and out of focus. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to still, hoping that it would stop the swaying and spinning sensation enveloping him. 

“What are you waiting for, Blondie?” The familiar smirk curled around his lips, pulling the shroud of arrogance around him with practised ease but the pained breathless in his voice gave him away. “Finish what you started.”

She was hanging back, uncertain, or perhaps unwilling, to continue her assault.

Well, he could remedy that.

He flicked his boot upwards weakly, firing a round towards her. She dodged it easily and brought her fist down on his leg, eyes widening when she felt the metal that was his kneecap. If Mercury had more energy, he would have laughed at the shock on her face. But he was drained and there was nothing he could do when she spun around him and aimed a kick to the back of his knees. He crumpled to the ground and she caught him in a chokehold. 

Blood was flowing freely now, dripping down her metal arm. The steel was cool against the throbbing pulse of his neck.

A simple twist would do the trick.

He grinned wolfishly.

“Don’t keep me waiting now.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re too soft, Blondie.”
> 
> Part of him had hoped that she would have done it, just to prove to her that she wasn’t as good as she believed herself to be. Or perhaps all he really wanted was to push her over the edge, to corrupt her soul the way he had tainted his own so long ago. There was something perversely appealing about the fact that it would be of his doing.
> 
> “It’s gonna cost you one day.”

Eyes fluttered open gently only to see nothing but white. His mind was fuzzy, head heavy and throbbing, and it was too difficult for him to piece together where he was. He blinked slowly, trying to focus his blurred vision. The fog was starting to clear and he could hear the steady beeping of some sort of machine near him. Groaning, Mercury tried to sit up but couldn’t move. Perhaps it was because of the pain ripping through his body - it came in waves, rolling around his chest, fading into a dull thrum at the back of his mind before suddenly shooting through his torso like red hot blades stabbing at him.

He tried to speak but his voice didn’t seem to be working. It was only then that he could feel the large plastic tube down his throat, forcing his mouth open. His gag reflex kicked in immediately and he choked, jaw locking tightly around the offending instrument. Panicking at the sudden sensation of asphyxiation, he lurched upwards violently. Aat the back of his mind, he could feel something in his chest rip and tear as he moved to rip the tube out. The metal bit into his wrists from where he was handcuffed to the frame of his hospital bed.

Every instinct screamed at him to break free from his restraints and tear out the tube but he fought with every fibre of his being to calm down and take deep breaths from his nose. 

He fell back against his pillow and forced himself to breathe.

But he couldn’t.

* * *

_A simple twist and it would be all over._

_Then her hold loosened and she stepped back._

_Mercury gasped for air._

_He wasn’t surprised, but he was disappointed._

_“You’re too soft, Blondie.”_

_Part of him had hoped that she would have done it, just to prove to her that she wasn’t as good as she believed herself to be. Or perhaps all he really wanted was to push her over the edge, to corrupt her soul the way he had tainted his own so long ago. There was something perversely appealing about the fact that it would be of his doing._

_“It’s gonna cost you one day.”_

* * *

The frequency of the beeps from the heart monitor was increasing rapidly. The pain was flaring up in his chest again - he had most likely reopened his wounds - but that didn’t seem important. He tensed, hands fisting, fingers digging into the palms of his hands. 

He couldn’t breathe.

Or maybe he was just hyperventilating.

He thought he could hear someone yelling and holding him down but he couldn’t be sure.

All he could think about was how he couldn’t breathe.

* * *

_He was surrounded by the police with their guns cocked and trained at his chest._ _Mercury grinned but the flicker of desperation betrayed him._

__To go down without a fight would only be one of the many blows to his ego today but he wasn’t stupid enough to choose death over something like mere pride. No, he knew the fate of criminals like him if he were to be arrested. Nothing but endless hours of torture and interrogation awaited him before being executed or locked up for all of eternity._ _

__

_Mercury made no move to surrender even as the police barked orders at him. Instead he turned towards her and stilled, relishing the way_ _her glare burned into him, the anger and hatred finally coming to the surface._

__

_He shifted his weight around; his boots felt a lot lighter now that he had run out of bullets. “It’s been fun, I suppose.”_

__

_Mercury aimed a shot at her._

__

_He took eight to the chest himself._

__


End file.
